Homeowners Still Prefer The Suburbs

NEW YORK — Although many people are rediscovering the nation's inner cities, a national survey of homeowners reveals the overwhelming majority still prefer to live in the suburbs.

Living in a suburban home was preferred by 70.9 percent of respondents to a survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders. Only 13.5 percent said they preferred an urban one and 10.5 percent favored one in the country.

When respondents listed the features they wanted most in a home, the familiar composite picture emerged of a single-family detached house with slightly more than 1,800 square feet, three or more bedrooms and two-and-a- half bathrooms.

The home may be either a single-story or a two-story with a large back- to-back private rear yard.

Other features of the composite home included a full basement, formal entry hall and separate dining room. The exterior is brick and it has a standard shingle roof.

Most people currently expect to pay between $80,000 and $100,000 for a house, the survey said.